Open Letter from the Yellow IDCG

Dear Members,

As everyone in the Community is surely aware, Rinpoche has many times encouraged his students to think of ways to collaborate with the IDC via cooperatives and fund raising ideas so as to create jobs, opportunities and alternative sources of revenue to support our network of Gars and Lings. In the past, these activities were typically coordinated at the Gar level, with Project Managers seeking approval from their local Gakyil, etc. However, as our Global Sangha becomes increasingly more digitally connected, and our mandala of Gars & Lings integrated in a single International Dzogchen Community (IDC), the need for international coordination has grown.

The primary definitional elements used by the IG for a fund raising project that seeks to interact with the global IDC membership are: 1) what percentage of total proceeds goes to the Community, 2) which entity or project is the targeted recipient of the grant, 3) what use of the IDC membership database and digital forums is being requested, and 4) how long is the fund raising activity expected to last?

Once these four characteristics are determined, it easier to apply basic IDC decision making protocol. There will always be exceptions, and therefore all ideas are welcome and should be encouraged to be brought forward. We are all doing our best to be creative in support of the Dzogchen Community, and the IG will respond to requests with this frame of mind.

Basic IDC Protocol for Fund Raising and Cooperatives
1) Percentage of Proceeds: if 100% of the proceeds is offered as donations to IDC entities, then it has the potential to have full access to membership email lists, IDC websites and other digital forums (webcast, mirror, etc.)

2) Donation Beneficiary: if the entity or project target for fund raising is one of the global priority projects established by Rinpoche, then it has the potential to have full access to IDC email lists, websites and digital forums

3) Requested Access to IDC membership lists: if fund raising events are advertised and communicated on social networks and unofficial communication groups, then International Gakyil coordination is not required. However, it should be noted that IDC Gars & Lings also have Official social networking sites, and therefore fall under the IDC protocol.

4) Duration of Fund Raising Project: perpetual fund raising entities will be analysed using a different decision making process than once-off fund raising events. As all Gars & Lings around the world wish to access our Global Sangha for support from time to time, it is only fair that we try to organise a reasonable amount of rotation and focus on projects prioritised by Rinpoche. Therefore, rotation will be evident in fund raising events sponsored and promoted within the IDC.

As you can see from these brief bullet points on IDC-affiliated fund raising, there is a basic theme that will govern IG decision making. We want to encourage everyone to create and support the development of our global projects, but at the same time, we wish to protect the rights of our member database, and always pay respect to Rinpoche’s top priorities. This will be a balancing act at times, but with your help and communication, we will do our best.

Note that this IG communication is addressing circumstances where a small group, or one Gar or Ling wishes to organise fund raising aimed at the Global Sangha. If the targeted audience is local, for example, your local Gar or Ling membership list & website only, then authority to make this decision (in compliance with IDC guidelines) still resides with the local Gakyil, as in the past.

Tribute to Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

The Song of the Vajra

Unborn,
Yet continuing without interruption,
Neither coming nor going, omnipresent,
Supreme Dharma,
Immutable space, beyond definition,
Spontaneously, self-liberating.
Perfect state without any obstruction,
Existent from the very beginning,
Self created, without location,
With nothing negative to reject,
And nothing positive to accept,
Infinite expanse, all pervading,
Immense, and limitless, unbound,
With nothing even to dissolve
Or from which to be liberated.
Present beyond Space and Time,
Existent from the beginning,
Immense dimension of inner space,
The radiance of clarity is like the sun and the moon,
Self perfected,
As indestructible as the Vajra,
As stable as a mountain,
As pure as a lotus,
Strong as a lion,
Incomparable bliss
Beyond all limits;
Illumination,
Equanimity,
Peak of the Dharma,
Light of the Universe,
Perfect since the very beginning.

From "The Song of the Vajra", An Oral Commentary by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche,
Edited by Gina Perini